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Brothers plead guilty to manslaughter in West Side shooting death

Two brothers, ages 16 and 20, pleaded guilty in Erie County Court Monday morning to first-degree manslaughter. They killed a man during a botched hold-up in a West Side neighborhood last summer.

Judge Thomas P. Franczyk refused to grant youthful offender status to Alvin “Rico” Marrero, 16, of Arkansas Street before accepting his plea. Marrero and his brother, German C. “Man Man” Rosado-Thomas, 20, of Congress Street, who also pleaded guilty, originally were charged with murder.

According to investigators, the victim, James McCloskey, 54, was accosted by the brothers at about 12:30 a.m. on Aug. 17 near a store on Grant and Arkansas streets. McCloskey was shot when the brothers tried to rob him. He was taken to Erie County Medical Center, where he died.

Rosado-Thomas, who allegedly was the gunman, faces 20 to 25 years in prison and his brother will receive a sentence of no less than 10 years when they return to court May 2.

The defendants’ mother, Mercedes “Mostra” (Monster) Rosado, also faces charges in connection with the case, including robbery, assault and intimidating a witness. She will be back before Franczyk for pretrial matters on April 6.